Trying to understand the issue with service

[RK Tractor Guy]

Auto manufacturers are required to produce and have available parts for their brand for a number of years beyond the sale date - 10 years last I checked. What is the requirement for tractor manufacturers, if any?

As one oft cited example, and for good reason because it typifies today's realities, Cabela's chose TYM to make a rebrand Cabela's tractor. Sales failed miserably, and Cabelas dropped the brand/line. Then Cabelas got bought by Bass, and Cabelas/TYM branded tractor owners found themselves out in the cold on warranty, service and parts availability. No place I'd want to be as far as getting an expensive tractor taken care of, on any level. However, this kind of buyout is commonplace today throughout corporate takeovers and the consumer is most often the ultimate loser. Corporations theoretically take care of their stockholders, and everyone else down to the retail buyer can take a hike.

Consumer surveys: don't get me started on this complete BS. If the marketing 'geniuses' spent any time doing a survey of whether buyers want to waste their time filling out a stupid survey, they 'might' learn most intelligent people could not care less about a stupid survey; what they want instead is good customer service and to not be ignored when they are on premises to look at or buy a product.

There's a classic scene in a movie with Charlie Sheen. He comes to daddy's boardroom and tells everyone to get out so he can confer with his dad. They don't get up to leave and he gets pissed and says:"what do I have to do, fax it to you?!" Seems like! :confused3: Especially with those who take the temp of their business by some poorly replied to survey.....

I've got no beef with RK, I don't know the first thing about them. My point is twofold: go with what seems best at the time of purchase, and hope for the best. Guarantees, written or otherwise, are at best peace of mind, and only as good as the people standing behind them. That is to say today there are absolutely NO guarantees in life. Roll the dice, come up snake eyes!:thumbsup:

Inspirational

 

[Btown]

Auto manufacturers are required to produce and have available parts for their brand for a number of years beyond the sale date - 10 years last I checked. What is the requirement for tractor manufacturers, if any?

As one oft cited example, and for good reason because it typifies today's realities, Cabela's chose TYM to make a rebrand Cabela's tractor. Sales failed miserably, and Cabelas dropped the brand/line. Then Cabelas got bought by Bass, and Cabelas/TYM branded tractor owners found themselves out in the cold on warranty, service and parts availability. No place I'd want to be as far as getting an expensive tractor taken care of, on any level. However, this kind of buyout is commonplace today throughout corporate takeovers and the consumer is most often the ultimate loser. Corporations theoretically take care of their stockholders, and everyone else down to the retail buyer can take a hike.

Consumer surveys: don't get me started on this complete BS. If the marketing 'geniuses' spent any time doing a survey of whether buyers want to waste their time filling out a stupid survey, they 'might' learn most intelligent people could not care less about a stupid survey; what they want instead is good customer service and to not be ignored when they are on premises to look at or buy a product.

There's a classic scene in a movie with Charlie Sheen. He comes to daddy's boardroom and tells everyone to get out so he can confer with his dad. They don't get up to leave and he gets pissed and says:"what do I have to do, fax it to you?!" Seems like! :confused3: Especially with those who take the temp of their business by some poorly replied to survey.....

I've got no beef with RK, I don't know the first thing about them. My point is twofold: go with what seems best at the time of purchase, and hope for the best. Guarantees, written or otherwise, are at best peace of mind, and only as good as the people standing behind them. That is to say today there are absolutely NO guarantees in life. Roll the dice, come up snake eyes!:thumbsup:

When did the Cabelas Tractor line fail. At first they priced the tractors a little high, but they were selling. It was not until the owners of Cabelas was selling their business and Bass Pro Shops who was the buyer wanted NOTHING TO DO WITH TRACTORS.. Cabelas abandoned the line to make the deal with Bass Pro Shops. Was the tractor business, great for Cabelas, probably not at all locations. The Cabelas near me could not keep enough around. They sold everyone they could get. They were proactive in getting their name out and customers to look at them. Then Corporate decided to abandon them. If Cabelas was still owned by Cabelas I am pretty sure they would still be selling Green TYM’s today. Cabelas main issue was the price they were selling the tractor. In most areas they were a little cheaper then the well known green, red and orange tractors. But in others areas they were much cheaper then the same green, red and orange tractors. There were people who thought their prices were too high. Even with those high prices they were cheaper than the closest TYM dealer near me.

McCormick used to sell a rebranded Kioti, now they sell a rebranded Branson. Bobcat also at the same time sold a rebranded Kioti. The prices of these used abandoned tractors are not down compared to the manufacturers tractors.

 

[Bud Soda]

BTown you seem to spend a lot of time reading about tractors on the internet. You cant believe everything you read. Unless you talk to a real tractor owner, the story may or may not be true. I only take advice from someone that owns or has owned the tractor.

When did the Cabelas Tractor line fail. At first they priced the tractors a little high, but they were selling. It was not until the owners of Cabelas was selling their business and Bass Pro Shops who was the buyer wanted NOTHING TO DO WITH TRACTORS.. Cabelas abandoned the line to make the deal with Bass Pro Shops. Was the tractor business, great for Cabelas, probably not at all locations. The Cabelas near me could not keep enough around. They sold everyone they could get. They were proactive in getting their name out and customers to look at them. Then Corporate decided to abandon them. If Cabelas was still owned by Cabelas I am pretty sure they would still be selling Green TYM’s today. Cabelas main issue was the price they were selling the tractor. In most areas they were a little cheaper then the well known green, red and orange tractors. But in others areas they were much cheaper then the same green, red and orange tractors. There were people who thought their prices were too high. Even with those high prices they were cheaper than the closest TYM dealer near me.

McCormick used to sell a rebranded Kioti, now they sell a rebranded Branson. Bobcat also at the same time sold a rebranded Kioti. The prices of these used abandoned tractors are not down compared to the manufacturers tractors.

 

[Industrial Toys]

There are still people out there in the equipment industry that claim Kubota and Kioti are made in the same factory and have interchangeable parts.

 

[JohnBuffaloMN]

Service - good service - the kind that makes you feel like the person dealing with you actually takes some ownership in helping you solve the problem. It's the way I taught my employees to deal with all our customers - asked them to read "How To Win Customers and Keep Them For Life". The customer isn't always right - but as a customer, if they obviously have an issue, you are much better off sending them off with a smile than a frown. A happy customer may tell one or two others about their great experience, an unhappy customer will tell 20 people.

At a restaurant recently. Ordered wings (appetizer) as my meal. They came out cooked perfectly - except half the order that was put in the fryer in big clumps (frozen together) and of course those were cold inside. Told waitress, she told manager, manager comes over and first tells me that sometimes blah, blah, blah wings are cold... then asks what I wanted. I told him - please tell the cook to break up the wings from the freezer so they cook evenly and I was good. He offered to bring out two wings (to replace the 4 or 5 clumped together) to which I replied no thank you - just tell the cooks to cook the food properly. So he walks away and shortly brings back a small plate with 2 wings (half of what I couldn't eat) on it. The table next to me also called the manager complaining about their food and he treated them as somehow at fault and made excuses. He was a young guy, and the owners of that highly acclaimed restaurant probably have no idea he's driving business away, or maybe they just don't care anymore. Regardless, I won't be bringing my customers there anymore, and I will recommend people make another choice.

 

[JohnBuffaloMN]

That wouldn't bother me. I hate salespeople and greeter breathing down my neck when I'm browsing. I'd rather they leave me alone until I want somebody, then I'll go to them. One of the main reasons I stopped going to Best Buy for tech stuff was the vultures pouncing on people as soon as they walk in the door. Sometimes Customer Service is knowing when not to hound people. Now, if they're not available when I want them, or if they blow me off, that's another story.

There's a happy middle ground here that many good businesses follow - acknowledge the presence of a CUSTOMER and allow them to do what they came to do, whether that involved you as a sales person or not. I bought a stereo back in the early eighties from "Sound of Music" that ultimately became Best Buy - They were awesome back then and really cared about the customer. I stopped using Best Buy a long time ago because their management became dolts when dealing with complaints/problems - as far as I know they're still using the same training programs.

Fleet Farm used to be awesome for farm stuff and they employed people who knew how to use that stuff. Now Fleet Farm has a very large clothing and home crap sections and their farm supply has become secondary staffed with minimum wagers who don't understand the stuff anymore. I'm glad we have Tractor Supply - don't know how they are to deal with yet, never had any issues with stuff I've purchased.

Most problems with these bigger corporations is that they are traded as a public company and have replaced their original ambitions of service with profit. Some, like Apple Computer have managed to ride the line pretty well. I hate the company but love their hardware. Most of the time they are "fair" about problem resolution, but sometimes you get the shaft. You are one in a million to them. To your local Kubota dealer one in a thousand?

 

[stuckmotor]

G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

For me, Service (the Parts & Servicing Department) is more than just somewhere you get parts from. I know that my own Dealership have the knowledge and experience to handle practically all of my problems... and that includes 'in the field' with their mobile service utes. I've never had either of my tractors in the shop and, truly, the only parts I've ever bought from them have been filters, oil and hydraulic fluid for regular maintenance. However, when I did have a problem (some-what self inflicted) they opened the shop up early :yes: to accommodate me. They provided me with a detailed schematic when I simply asked a question. A mechanic came out, listened to me and them physically showed me where I could plug a set of work-lights into a pre-wired 'socket'.

I know that, in my case, my Dealership has my back for the long term. Which means that my Manufacturer has their back for the long term. Peace of mind for me.

Enjoy the site.

Wagtail has been truly blessed with a good dealer. The more I read about the other kind of dealers, the more I think they are more plentiful.

 

[Industrial Toys]

My favorite is when you try and give companies constructive feedback and they argue with you. If I have trouble finding something in a store or website, why argue and tell me that's not true!

And their surveys rarely allow input on anything other than what they are asking. And, there is ONLY "Like US" on Facebook.

 

[stevem5215]

The truth is you buy want you want and you roll the dice doing so taking your chances. Do you feel lucky is the question ?

And to expand on tractors, is to expand on this unto your whole life. You roll the dice on a wife, on a marriage, on kids, on money, on a job or self employment, the list goes on and on but it's all a life lesson and the truth is someone else is probably guiding you whether you know it or not.

Steve philosopher as a hobby besides the tractors

 

[Industrial Toys]

Knowledge IS POWER! What does someones profile say on here? Life is Hard. It's harder if your stupid!